- Emergency services were called to the factory located outside the country’s capital.
- Nearby towns have been evacuated, but some residents refuse to leave.
- Two people were seriously injured in the explosion.
This is the dramatic moment a Bulgarian fireworks factory was engulfed in a huge fireball forcing local police to evacuate the surrounding area.
Emergency services were called today to put out the explosion at the factory, near the town of Elin Pelin, which is about 15 miles east of the country’s capital, at around 6:30 p.m. local time.
Video footage captured by local media shows a huge plume of smoke rising into the air as bright lights caused by fireworks illuminate it.
As the smoke rises, more fireworks can be seen exploding closer to the ground. Local media reported that smoke billowed from the structure for more than two hours after the initial explosion, which was estimated to have been equivalent to two tons of TNT.
Two employees, a man and a woman, were reportedly seriously injured and later taken to the nearby Pirogov Emergency Hospital in Sofia because they suffered third-degree burns.
The woman was reported to have suffered burns over 85% of her body surface.
Emergency services were called in today to extinguish the explosion at the factory near the town of Elin Pelin, which is about 15 miles east of the country’s capital.
At least 10 water tankers have been requested to provide sufficient water for the firefighters, six of them from the army.
Video footage captured by local media shows a huge plume of smoke rising into the air as bright lights caused by fireworks illuminate it.
Two employees, a man and a woman, were reported to have been seriously injured and were later taken to the nearby Pirogov Emergency Hospital in Sofia, where they suffered third-degree burns.
Although local officials have declared a partial state of disaster, the country’s acting prime minister, Dimitar Glavchev, has attempted to calm concerns.
Although local officials have declared a partial state of disaster, the country’s acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, who reportedly visited the site, attempted to calm concerns by saying the situation was under control.
Stressing the need for a wide perimeter, Interior Minister Dimitar Kangaldzhiev said a logistics centre of a large food chain that was 7-800 metres (2,300-2,600 feet) from the factory caught fire after the blast.
Although police evacuated Elin Pelin and nearby Gara Elin Pelin, they were forced to evict some locals who refused to leave their homes.
Emergency services are working with the country’s military to extinguish the fire.
At least 10 water tankers have been requested to provide sufficient water for the firefighters, six of them from the army.
Three military SandCats were called in to assist emergency services.
Although police evacuated Elin Pelin and nearby Gara Elin Pelin, they were forced to evict some locals who refused to leave their homes.
Emergency services are working with the country’s military to extinguish the fire.
The army also sent three SandCat armoured jeeps, carrying the head of the defence ministry, Admiral Emil Eftimov, and the head of the military police, Brigadier General Ivaylo Sotirov.
The investigation into how the fire started has already begun, with acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov sending four investigators to begin their inspection once the explosions stop and the fire is out.
It was revealed that the site was inspected just three months ago by government officials, who found no discrepancies in its security measures.
The company told local media that it has a high level of security, as well as a robust CCTV system.
Nevertheless, Stoyanov said investigators have assumed that “someone turned something on, but it is not yet clear.”
(tags to translate)dailymail